Shipping-crate for bananas.



T. P. FOLEY.

SHIPPING CRATE FOR BANANAS. APPLIOATION IILEDJAN. 15, 1914.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 1.

uW IHLI THE NORRIS PETERS CO., FHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, D C

T. P. FOLEY.

SHIPPING CRATE FOR BANANAS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15. 1914.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-$111131 Z.

THOMAS 1. FOLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHIPPING-CRATE FOR BANANAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Application filed January 15, 1914. Serial No. 812,191.

, To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THoMAs P. FOLEY, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shipping-Crates for Bananas; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in crates for shipping bananas,and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

The improved crate is of that type which is adapted to receive andinclose a single bunch of bananas and consistsof an outer framecomprising the crate proper, and an inner bag which supports the bunchof bananas within the crate and which constitutes the envelop forinclosing the'same.

The object of the invention is to provide improved means for supportingthe bag within the crate in such manner that when the crate is thrown onits side, the bag will not be brought into contact with the crate frame,under the action of gravity, to bruise and spoilthe bananas. Theadvantages of my improved construction will appear as I proceed with myspecification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved bananacrate showing it as it appears when the bag is closed. Fig. 2 is a viewrepresenting a vertical central section through the crate with the upperpart of the bag opened out in the condition that it is when readytoreceive a bunch of bananas. Fig. 3 is a view representing a top plan ofthe crate as it appears when looking down from above Fig. 2. Fig. 4: isa view representing a partial vertical section on an enlarged scale in aplane indicated by the line 4.- 1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a viewrepresenting a partial vertical section on an enlarged scale in a planeindicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a view representing atransverse section through Fig. 2 in a plane indicated by the line 66 ofFig. 2. Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of the bag as the same appearswhen removed from the crate proper. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a wire hoopused in suspending the bag within the crate proper. Fig. 9 and 10 aredetail perspective views illustrating themanner of suspending the bagwithin the crate proper.

Referrin now to that embodiment of my invention illustrated in thedrawings, 11 indicates the crate proper which is preferably cylindricalin form and is made up of a plurality of vertically spaced hoops 12 andof annularly spaced, longitudinally extending strips 13 attached to theoutside of said hoops. The hoops and strips are made preferably of woodand are secured together by nails which are driven in from the outsideand have their inner ends turned or bent over in a familiar manner toprevent their Withdrawal. As shown, the base of the crate is reinforcedby an outer hoop 14 placed in the/plane of the inner bottom hoop 12 andby an additional inner hoop placed immediately above and restingupon thebottom inner hoop 12. The top of the crate is also preferably reinforcedby means of an outer hoop 15. a

16 indicates the bag that is intended to contain the bananas. This ispreferably Inadeof burlap or of someequivalent coarse, strong, fibrousmaterial. The bag is substantially cylindricalin form and is providedwith a conical closed bottom 17. The bagis made deeper than the crate inorder to provide a flap extension 18 which may be drawn together to forma top closure 18, as indicated in Fig. 1, and which is slit so that itmay be folded down outside the upper end of the crate, as shown in Figs.2 and 3, when the bunch of bananas is to be packed into the crate. Thebag 16 is suspended from the top of the crate by means of an auxiliaryhoop 19 which isplaced within the bag in such manner as to embrace thebag wall between it and the inner top hoop 12. y The outer top hoop 15,the inner top hoop 12, the bag wall, and the auxiliary inner hoop 19 areall secured together by wire nails in a familiar manner.

In order to retain the bag with its vertical side walls in spacedrelation with the members of the crate so as to provide a space aboutthe bag Within the crate and prevent the bag from being jarred againstthe crate by the weight of the bananas, the following construction isprovided: In the planes or zones of the top edges of each of theintermediate hoops 12, there are attached to the outer surface of thebag a plurality of horizontal, arcual, flexible flaps 20 arranged in acircular row, girdle like about the bag. These flaps are made of justsuiiicient radial width to bridge the space between the crate and thecylindrical bag wall when the bag is in the position which it isdesigned to occupy. Said flaps are made preferably of canvas or of somesimilar material that is capable of little or no 9 and 10. This wirehoop acts to spread the flaps. The said flaps are fastened to the crateby means of staples 25 (see Fig. 5) which are driven into the top edgeof the wooden hoop 12 in the plane or Zone of which the girdle of flapsis located. The flaps 20 of each row of flaps are equi-spaced apart inan annular direction to leave spaces 26 between them, and these spacesare so arranged with reference to the longitudinal strips of the cratethat the spaces will come opposite alternate strips 13. At these spaces,as is shown in detail in Fig. 10, there are preferably attached to theinner face of the associated hoop 12 short upright plates 27 which arefined in place by means of the same nails that attach the longitudinalstrips to the hoops. Said plates 27 rise a short distance above theupper edge of the hoop 12 and act to prevent the wire hoop '23 frombeing displaced from the top of the hoop 12. If desired, the flaps 20 ofa row may be made integral so as to form a continuous, circularlyextending flap 28, as illustrated in the case of the middle flap row inFig. 7. in such case, the plates 27 are omitted. It is preferable,however, to have the flaps in the rows above and below such an integraltime 28 constructed as originally described,that is to say, arranged ina row comprising a plurality of annularly spaced flaps.

It will be manifest that the construction described will providelateral. support for the bag in a plurality of planes or Zonesintermediate its top and bottom so thatin said planes or zones the bagis held in such proper spaced relation within the crate as to prevent itfrom being forced by the weight of its contents into contact with thecrate when the crate is inclined or laid on its side. lVhile three ofsaid zones of lateral Copies of this patent may be obtained for supportare shown in the drawings, this number may be varied according to theheight of the crate.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a shipping device, comprising a crate and a bag suspended withinsaid crate, means providing lateral support for said bag to hold it inspaced relation within the crate, comprising strips doubled over andfolded upon themselves to form flexible flaps of a double thicknessattached at their inner free edges to the bag and extending girdle-.like about said bag, said flaps being provided with a loop at theirouter edges, an expanding member extending through said loops, and meansfor attachin said expanding member to the crate.

In a shipping device, comprising a crate and a bag suspended within thesaid crate, means providing lateral support for said bag to hold it inspaced relation Within the crate, comprising a plurality of rows ofhorizontal, flexible flaps, each row of flaps extending girdle-likeabout the bag and being attached to the bag, the flaps of each row beingspaced apart in an arcuate direction, means for attaching the outeredges of the flaps to the crate in the plane of said flaps, including anexpanding hoop, and means attached to the crate and interposedintermediate the flaps of the several rows adapted to retain said hoopin position.

3. In a shipping device, comprising a crate and a bag suspended withinsaid crate, means providing lateral support for said bag to hold it inspaced relation within the crate, comprising a plurality of rows ofhorizontal flexible flaps, each row of flaps extending girdle-like aboutthe bag and being attached to the bag, the flaps of each row beingspaced apart in an arcuate direction, means for attaching the outeredges of the flaps to the crate in the plane of said flaps, including anexpanding hoop and means interposed intermediate the flaps of theseveral rows adapted to retain said hoop in position, said meanscomprisin plates attached to the said crate and exten ing into a planebeyond that of said expanding hoop to coniinc said hoop in properposition relative to said crate.

In testimony, that I, claim the foregoing as my invention 1 ai'iix mysignature in the presence of two witnesses, this 9th day of January A.D. 191%.

THOMAS P. FOLEY.

Witnesses T. H. ALrnnns, CLARENCE E. MnHLHorE.

five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington,D. '0.

